Compare brush, ionised air, vacuum and tacky rollers for removing particles from bare PCBs and accessible post-solder PCBA surfaces.
ByadminBrushes, ionised air, vacuum extraction and tacky rollers do not perform the same cleaning function.
On a bare PCB before solder paste printing, they can form one dry-cleaning process: ionised air releases static-attracted particles, brushes detach contamination, vacuum captures it and tacky rollers collect particles remaining on accessible flat surfaces.
After wave or selective soldering, brush cleaning operates differently. A compatible cleaning fluid and controlled brush contact can remove accessible flux marks and loose solder balls from the solder side of an assembled PCBA.
| Contamination | Board and process stage | Effective method | Suitable DEZ equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dust and loose powder | Bare PCB before printing | Brush, vacuum and tacky roller | DEZ-C753S |
| Fibres, hair and board debris | Bare PCB before printing | Brush detachment followed by vacuum capture | DEZ-C753S |
| Static-attracted particles | Bare PCB before printing | Ionised air followed by vacuum or roller collection | DEZ-C753S |
| Fine dry particles on flat surfaces | Bare PCB before printing | Tacky roller contact transfer | DEZ-C753S |
| Loose solder balls | Accessible PCBA solder side after soldering | Controlled brush contact and waste collection | DEZ-C758 or DEZ-C760 |
| Visible flux marks | Accessible PCBA solder side after soldering | Cleaning-fluid application and wet brushing | DEZ-C758 or DEZ-C760 |
| Flux beneath low-standoff components | Assembled PCBA | Compatible aqueous cleaning with wash, DI-water rinse and drying | DEZ-C743 or DEZ-C1360 |
| Defined ionic-contamination requirement | Assembled PCBA | Validated cleaning process plus ionic testing | DEZ-C743 or DEZ-C1360 |
No single cleaning element covers every condition. The method must match both the contaminant and its location.
Fine dust may remain on a PCB because of electrostatic attraction rather than strong physical adhesion. Ordinary compressed air can move this contamination without preventing it from returning to the board.
Ionised air supplies balanced positive and negative ions that reduce the electrostatic charge holding particles to insulating surfaces. It is useful for releasing lightweight dust and fibres, but it does not collect them.
Ionisation must therefore operate with vacuum extraction or another collection stage. Its performance should be checked through ion balance and discharge-time measurements rather than assumed from the presence of an ionising bar.
The DEZ-C753S double-sided PCB cleaning machine combines ionised air with brushes, dual vacuum extraction and tacky rollers. This configuration is intended for dry contamination on bare PCBs before solder paste printing.
Brushes apply mechanical contact where airflow or suction alone cannot release the contamination.
For bare PCBs, brushes target dry contaminants such as fibres, hair, board debris and particles attached to accessible surface features. The released material must then be extracted by vacuum or transferred to a tacky roller. Technical-cleanliness guidance similarly identifies brushing as a method for removing more firmly adhering particles while noting that brushes require cleaning and replacement as contamination accumulates.
For assembled PCBAs, the brush performs a different job. When used with a compatible cleaning fluid, it can act on accessible flux marks and loose solder balls on the solder side after wave or selective soldering.
Vacuum extraction removes particles after they have been loosened by brushes or released through static neutralisation.
It is effective for collecting:
Vacuum does not normally remove cured flux, oil or strongly adhered films by itself. Its effectiveness also depends on airflow at the cleaning point, duct condition and filter loading.
A tacky roller contacts an accessible flat PCB surface and lifts remaining dry particles. The collected contamination is then transferred from the cleaning roller to replaceable adhesive paper.
Tacky rollers are effective for fine dust and small dry particles that remain after initial brushing and vacuum extraction. They are not intended to remove flux films, oil or ionic contamination.
Direct contact is required. A tacky roller cannot reliably clean deep holes, recessed areas or surfaces obstructed by assembled components. The roller and adhesive paper must also be replaced before contamination loading causes reduced collection or reverse transfer.
For this reason, tacky rollers are particularly relevant to flat bare PCBs and are not a general solution for populated PCBA surfaces.
The DEZ-C753S uses the four mechanisms as a coordinated dry-cleaning system:
Ionised Air → Brush Detachment → Vacuum Capture → Tacky-Roller Transfer
Its three brushes loosen accessible contamination from both sides of the bare PCB. Ionised air reduces electrostatic attraction, two vacuum collectors remove released particles, and front-and-rear tacky rollers collect particles remaining on accessible surfaces.
Key operating data include:
| Parameter | DEZ-C753S |
|---|---|
| Workpiece | Bare PCB before solder paste printing |
| Cleaning coverage | Double-sided |
| PCB size | 50 × 50–350 × 350 mm |
| PCB thickness | 0.4–3 mm |
| Cleaning brushes | Three |
| Vacuum collectors | Two |
| Tacky rollers | Front and rear |
| Static elimination | Built in |
| Conveyor height | 900 ±25 mm |
Choose the DEZ-C753S when the main problem is dust, fibres, hair, loose particles or static-attracted contamination before printing.
Post-solder brush cleaning should not be confused with the dry cleaning performed by the DEZ-C753S.
The DEZ-C758 single-sided PCBA cleaning machine applies cleaning fluid to the accessible solder side, followed by multidirectional wet brushing, dry brushing and fan drying. It supports PCBA widths of 50–300 mm and component heights up to 135 mm.
Choose the DEZ-C758 when:
The DEZ-C760 automatic PCBA brush cleaning machine applies alcohol-based PCBA cleaning fluid before using one 360 mm rotary brush and two roller brushes. It processes PCBAs up to 300 × 300 mm and requires at least 1.5 mm of available board edge for gripping.
Choose the DEZ-C760 when:
Neither machine should be described as a complete ionic-cleanliness process unless the cleaned PCBA passes the specified test method.
These methods are unsuitable when contamination is beneath components, trapped in low-standoff gaps or distributed across the complete assembly.
For complete chemical washing, DI-water rinsing and controlled drying, select an aqueous PCBA cleaning machine:
Visible cleanliness does not confirm ionic cleanliness. If ionic contamination is part of the acceptance requirement, define the test method and limit before selecting the machine.
Use the following selection rule:
Send DEZ the board dimensions, component height, contamination photographs, flux or cleaning-agent information, required takt time and cleanliness criterion. Representative boards can then be tested to confirm whether dry particle cleaning, solder-side brush cleaning or aqueous cleaning is the correct process.
